etlicher
Translation
considerable, quite a few, several, some
Examples
Nach etlicher Zeit kam er zurück.
After a considerable time, he came back.
Etlicher Aufwand war dafür nötig.
Considerable effort was necessary for that.
Grammar Patterns
etlich- + Noun considerable/several ... Nach etlicher Überlegung stimmte er zu.
Similar Words
einige (some), mehrere (several), ziemlich viel (quite a lot)
Etymology
Related to 'etwas' (something), it indicates an unspecified but not insignificant quantity.
Memory Tips
Think of it as a more formal or stronger version of 'einige' (some). It often implies 'a considerable amount'.